Elysium
by thesoutherncross100
Summary: A sort of what if TLBT had happened in modern times and Littlefoot's family migrates to a more modern setting. Part 1 of my new "Littlefoot Chronicles"
1. In The Beginning

**Guide:  
** **1\. Elysium=Europe/United Continents of Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East  
** **2\. Littlefoot's generation is the beginning of the "dwarf dinosaur" era where all dinosaurs only grow to be as big as Utahraptor  
** **3\. North Cretaceous=North America  
** **4\. South Cretaceous=South America**

* * *

 **In The Beginning**

"All rise!"

Today was the final day of a trial watched by all in Elysium. Sitting in an enlarged hangar in an undisclosed location with cameras on all four corners and a screen for which to video chat from was Bron, the defendant in a suit filed by McDonalds for destroying one of its branches during a workers strike at a construction site. At this point, Bron was facing a fifteen year hard labor sentence and had just been fired from his job. If he lost the case, then all would be lost for his family.

Littlefoot, his son and the only one small enough to fit in the courtroom was present along with the public attorney assigned to Bron. They sat on the defense side of the courtroom. In the plaintiff side sat Tommy Angelo, the consigliere of the Elysian Mafia and successful lawyer. Right behind him was Charles Burnett and his son James, both seated in the front row of the Gallery. Littlefoot looks over his right shoulder and gives James a staredown.

Just a few days ago, the boy had been in the witness box blurting out everything he saw to the judge and jury. The fact that they had been happily chatting together minutes before the destruction of the restaurant didn't seem to cross his mind when he calmly gave a detailed rundown of the incident, going so far as to claim he actually saw Bron tumbling towards the restaurant. James knew he was being stared at of course but chose not to react. Instead he kept his eyes on the judge as he sat down in his seat.

His father had told him to leave his emotions outside the courtroom and let it all slide till they left. Six young men and women soon entered and took their seats in the jury box. Time for the verdict to be announced. Everyone's hearts raced and time seemed to slow down as they waited and waited. Those representing McDonalds wondered if all the effort they've put in thus far and the amazing performance by Tommy Angelo was all for nothing while those on the defendant's side hoped they wouldn't be on the losing team for the sake of an innocent child.

"Eighty five percent sure we're winning." Tommy muttered to Charles. "You sure they'll pay?"

"I'm not exactly an expert on something like this." Charles replies. "But I'm pretty sure they'll file for bankruptcy."

"Well if that's the case then we might be in for some trouble, don't you think?"

"They'll pay either way, trust me." James said confidently. "The CEO knows better than to not give any token of appreciation."

"Now James you're being too materialistic, son."

"Everyone's different, father."

Over on the defendant's side, there was also quiet mumbles between the attorney and a member of the family. Only this was more negative than positive. Since Bron had indeed been involved in a workers' strike and had indeed smashed into the McDonalds and caused massive casualties, there really wasn't much he could use to argue against the plaintiff.

"I think I heard their lawyer say something about an eighty five percent chance." Littlefoot said to the attorney. "What do you think?"

"He could very well be right." He shakes his head. "Poor guy, if only he had friends in high places."

The judge strikes his gavel three times and the courtroom became quiet in an instant. He was ready to deliver the verdict, having discussed with the jury while everyone else was gossiping. Everyone waited patiently as he put his spectacles on and turned to look at both the defendant and plaintiff. What follows caused everyone from one side to widen their eyes in shock with only Charles, Tommy, and James remaining calm. They knew the outcome didn't really matter as long as they got their end of the bargain.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

News cameras flashed outside the courthouse when those representing the plaintiff came out of the main entrance. In front of reporters and cameramen and women, Charles and Tommy took turns shaking the hand of McDonald's representative who was present at the courtroom. James on the other hand stood near one of the support beams and paid no attention to what was happening. Some of the reporters noticed him and snapped a few photos while others came up to interview him; they were ignored and sometimes pushed aside.

Minutes later, those representing the defendant also emerged from the main entrance. Camera crews quickly rushed over and snapped photos while the reporters poured questions like a machine gun pouring lead into defenseless soldiers charging through an open field. Through the flashing lights, Littlefoot spots the Godfather's son and barged through the reporters to confront him. James sighed when he saw the Apatosaurus, knowing what was about to come up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warns. "Save it for later when the cameras are gone."

"No, I want the world to see how much of a backstabber you are." Littlefoot scowls. "I thought we were friends but no. You're just a "pal" who would betray me when the going gets tough."

"Look, the fact that your father was given that heavy a sentence is admittedly, unjust. But McDonalds is a private company. If they want to sue, that's their problem."

"Why did you agree to become their witness then?"

"That was my father's idea."

"But you could've said no."

"What's the point? The cops have my statement already."

Some of the reporters noticed the two youngsters argue and secretly asked their camera people to film the incident. Littlefoot could see the lenses being pointed at him and his friend and decides this was the best time to attack him.

"You said something about Omerta, didn't you?" He said. "And you said it meant noncompliance with the authorities."

"But your father isn't associated with the organization, is he now?"

"See? You only protect those who are affiliated with your father. Poor families like mine? Heh, we're nothing more than roaches to you."

"Don't push me, Littlefoot."

"Why? Can't face the truth?"

"More like me not wanting to bring a libel suit against you for defamation."

"Bring it on then! Show the world how much of a cruel backstabber you are."

James knew there was no point arguing with the Apatosaurus and turns to leave. His Chauffeur had already arrived and Charles stood next to the Mulsanne's back door, holding it open for his son. Two men stood right next to him, each of them wearing a suit and carrying concealed pistols. They were his personal bodyguards and were part of his entourage which consisted of seven men; the other five sat in the SUV behind the car with Tommy guns on their laps.

"Hey! I'm not done yet!" Littlefoot shouts. His former friend however chose to ignore him and left in the Bentley as reporters tried to get last minute photos of the Godfather and his son. Unbeknownst to everyone however, there was quite a lot of tension in the car. James was quite pissed off with his own father and refused to look him in the eye. For some reason, the usually observant Charles seems to have missed this. "Good performance there, son." He congratulates. "I'm real proud of you."

"I bet you're real proud of destroying my friendship too." James scoffed. "What sort of father does this to his own son?"

"Now James…"

"When mother died you promised me you'd pamper me and love me more than ever. But all you do is destroy my life." He wipes the tears from his eyes. "Stop the car, Jean."

"James…"

"Stop the car, Jean."

The Chauffeur stops the car as instructed. James proceeds to leave the backseat and swaps places with Marco, one of his father's bodyguards who was sitting in the front right passenger seat. No words were spoken between anyone in the car after that as the Bentley turned onto the freeway and headed for home.

* * *

Charles looked out from the window of his office in his residence located in Roquebrune Cap Martin. Though years have passed since the McDonalds case, his actions have caused such a rift that James pulled his own strings and bought himself a second residence in Cap d'ail just to get away from him when he was fifteen. And though he was more than happy to become his father's successor, James refused to accept any gifts from his father.

All the school fees were paid using the money he earned as Don Burnett of Monte Carlo, a job his father gave him in a vain effort to reconcile, and both the Maybach Pullman Guard and McLaren P1 in his garage were bought with cash from the family vault which he and his father had shared access to. In an effort to one up his father's show of wealth, James bought a white Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera with black hood covers and rims as his daily, hired a Chauffeur to pilot his Maybach, and bought himself a gun collection which made his father's look like an amateur's gun cage.

While he knew his brief friendship with Littlefoot had been destroyed by his father, James never forgot about the poor thing, who was forced to live on the streets till his mother found a job with the Nightingale Shipping Company. It wasn't a high paying job but Madeline, Littlefoot's mother, took it anyways as she needed to support her son. Besides, the owner Richard Nightingale also provided the housing they so desperately needed.

Madeline's salary barely got them through daily expenses alone and it was only through her own savings that she could continue to send him to school. But now her bank account was running dry and there wasn't much time before he would have to quit high school and start working, probably as a laborer like his parents. James knew of his estranged friend's plight and knew it was he who put him in such a predicament in the first place. He decides if he can't directly help him then he would help him in secret.

Every month, he would donate twenty percent of his eighty thousand dollar salary to Madeline under the alias "William Archer" and using this name, he settled the McDonald's suit. All those involved in this secret operation kept everything under wraps and had taken the oath of Omerta. Eventually, the government realized Madeline had extra income and took her off welfare, a move which played right into James' hand. He could now pull the strings he wanted to pull and the next thing Littlefoot knew, he was being transferred to the Ricardo Crockett School, a private school with ties to the Elysian Mafia.

How this "William Archer" had the funds to continuously support him and his mother baffled the Apatosaurus. Charities were not an uncommon thing in Elysium but a person willing to sacrifice twenty percent of his income just to support another family was virtually unheard of. And William did it on a monthly basis!

"Mother." Littlefoot asked his mother on the day before he was transferred. "Have you met William before?"

"No, but I know he's a good man." She smiles. "A very low profile and reclusive good man."

"I wonder how he gets all the money to support us."

"Humans have very ingenious ways to get money. Maybe he has a large business or is a retiree who has access to a gold vault."

"Or both."

"That too, my dear."

"But mother, I'm not too sure about joining this new school." A look of anxiety could be seen on his face. "All the kids there are privileged children."

"There's nothing wrong with that, right?"

"They might laugh at me or belittle me."

"Littlefoot, you've braved through the bad times and pushed through the suffering. How can a few bad words hurt you?"

"I hope you're right, mother."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

With Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" blaring on the radio, James activates the launch control on his Lamborghini, steps on the brakes, and buries his foot into the throttle, causing the rev meter to soar. Once it indicated five thousand, James releases the brakes and the car shot forward, its wheels spinning momentarily from all the torque generated. Most people would baby their supercars around but not this teenager. As soon as he was out of the main gate, he kicks the back-end sideways and slides onto the road.

Charles was still sleeping soundly when he was jolted awake by the almighty roar of the Lamborghini's naturally aspirated V10 engine. Ah yes, if there was one thing he didn't really like about his son was the fact that he was a daredevil. Even though their relationship had been strained due to the McDonalds suit, Charles had tried repeatedly to stop his son from pulling such stunts not just for the sake of his own safety but for the sake of everyone else's ears.

If he couldn't care less about himself then at least remind him that everyone else preffered some peace and quiet, especially in the wee hours of morning. School didn't start until seven but James was up by five. Why? Because he could take advantage of the empty roads and blaze through at high speeds without fear of crashing into other vehicles stuck in traffic. His favorite stretch of road, the winding mountain road of the Riviera which overlooked Monaco, was practically deserted at this hour.

And that made it perfect for him to exploit the full potential of his supercar. He sets it to "Sport" and puts the transmission on "manual", giving him the use of the paddle shifters. Then, with the xenon lights illuminating the path ahead of him, he turns his car into a rollercoaster. Normal people would slow down and turn at the corners but James kicks his car sideways and drifts through the tighter corners. Only on the slower corners did he slow down slightly, only stepping on the gas at the midway point to power through.

Just up the road, Charmaine Nightingale sat in the backseat of her father's 5 series Beemer. Like Littlefoot, she was a new student and, hailing from Menton, she had planned to stay at the dorms of Ricardo Crockett School. Her father had transferred her to that school to make life easier for the family as his adoptive daughter Ali was also studying there. In the trunk of her father's car were her personal belongings amongst other required items for her first day here. Having to wake up earlier than usual made her groggy and she was hoping to catch some sleep before arriving.

 _VAARROOM_

Not at this hour, not when James was pleasuring himself with speed and, as Jeremy Clarkson would say, POWER! Just out of sight of the Beemer, he makes a one eighty change in direction. Why? Because gut instinct told him the car he just passed carried a new student and the driver had trouble with his GPS. He pulls up next to the Beemer and surprise surprise, his instincts were spot on.

"Need a hand?" He said after winding the window down.

"Ah, James! What a coincidence." Richard Nightingale smiles. "I need to send my daughter to Ricardo Crockett but my GPS cocked up at the worst moment."

"You're in luck, old friend. I'm one of the students."

"You don't say."

"Follow my lead, I'll take you there."

No longer needing the raw power from the V10, James puts the car back into "comfort" and the transmission to "auto". There was no way a Beemer was catching him with all that speed and since he was driving slow, why not make the ride to school a little more comfortable? Charmaine's father shook his head in disbelief as he saw the Lamborghini move in front of him. Charles probably had too much cash on his hands. Why else would he allow his son to buy a raging Italian Bull?

Not that Richard himself wasn't rich. It's just that he felt James' father had pampered his son too much. If only he knew the rift within the Burnett family.

"Look at that kid." He remarks. "Driving a Lamborghini at sixteen."

"It's just a Gallardo Superleggera." Charmaine grumbles sleepily. "I could probably buy one with the money in my bank account. Heck, you could buy more than a hundred with the total profits you pull in every year."

"You are correct, my dear. But come on, what sort of parent allows their son to buy a supercar as their first car?"

"Charles Burnett probably." His wife Cynthia reminds. "His son probably needs a quick car to get out of situations."

"True."

When she heard the name "Charles Burnett", Charmaine's eyes quickly widened. She had never met his son before and never expected the one driving the Lamborghini to be James himself. Charmaine found it kind of odd that he would be driving a second hand supercar as he definitely had enough money to buy a brand new Lamborghini and if he wanted to, a Bugatti Veyron. Due to the fact that Richard wasn't a fast driver, it took them forty five minutes to reach the school gate.

"Here you are, pal." James said.

"Thanks a lot, James." Richard opens the back door for his daughter. "Charmaine, this is the kid I've been talking about."

"You mean the one who kicks your ass on the shotgun range." She smiles shyly at James, who simply shakes his head.

"Ah yes, one thing James. My daughter is really uncomfortable with guns."

"That's gonna be a big problem." He opens his suit slightly, revealing a M1911A1 pistol tucked in a shoulder holster. "Because I carry."

"I think I can make an exception for him since he's a friend now." Charmaine said.

"Well then, I guess I'd better get going."

Richard quickly hops back into his car and left the scene with his wife. Both of them were senior figures of the Nightingale Shipping Company, one the Chairman and the other the deputy chairwoman. There was a board meeting coming up and the two were expected to be present. Back at the gate, Charmaine accepts James' offer to take her straight to the main hall, negating the need for her to walk all the way there. Her sister was already there by the time she stepped out of the Lamborghini and the two quickly disappeared through the entrance while James drove to the students' parking lot.

Meanwhile, Littlefoot had also arrived and was trying to find a dorm. And things were not looking good. When the school opened a few years ago, the response was so overwhelming that the dorms were filled up almost instantly, forcing the school to commission another dorm building. Unfortunately that wasn't enough and this led to a third being built. At this point, the third building had yet to be completed, leaving Littlefoot with no accommodation.

Unless… He shared a dorm with someone. While most of the students have specifically requested for single person dorm, a few have made theirs available for those without accommodation. And one of them was Ali. By some miracle, she was right next to him talking to the second senior who was with Charmaine. "Ah Ali, you just appeared at the right moment." The senior with Littlefoot said to her. "Would you mind if you open up your dorm to an Apatosaurus of the opposite gender?"

"Uhm, it'd be kinda awkward." Her cheeks reddened slightly when she realized she was standing next to him. "Let me think about it, my sister Charmaine is also in need of a dorm."

"Something wrong?" James walks up to them.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere became extremely tense. Memories of the case flashed in Littlefoot's mind and he shot the teenaged boy a glare. James sighs and ignores him, not wanting to escalate the situation. "Anyways, I heard about Charmaine's lack of dorm situation."

"Yeah." Ali answers. "You have a solution?"

"Cap d'ail, I have a lot of bedrooms to spare."

"You… Own a home?"

"And I thought everyone knew." James glares at Littlefoot briefly. "My father made me Don Burnett just to repair the damage done after he forced me to be a witness on the McDonalds case. That didn't work so I took some cash from the vault and bought myself a new house."

"Residence."

"Residence, I stand corrected."

This was all getting odd for Charmaine. It was her first day of arrival and first time meeting James yet he was willing to open up the most private of his assets to her. Did her father pull a few strings and get on her peer's good side? Whatever the case was, Charmaine wasn't about to let up a chance to stay at a luxury residence and agreed. Sure, it might seem odd that two friends of the opposite gender would live together but there were multiple rooms she could stay in to prevent untoward incidents from happening.

Besides, another newcomer could use the space in Ali's dorm anyways and they too would be opposite genders of the same species living together. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

School went on uneventfully for the newcomers and their newfound associates. Classes were just like those they took at their former schools and the only real difference was their teachers and the way they taught. But throughout Littlefoot's time in school, he couldn't help but think about James. Earlier when he talked about his estrangement with his father, Littlefoot could see the honesty in his face and the fact he harbored no hidden intentions.

And the fact that he drove a second hand Lamborghini(Charmaine told him about it), seems to be further proof of this. Still, Littlefoot remained skeptical. While he was more than willing to become an associate-friend again, he would keep his secrets to his one and only true friend at the school; Ali. It was awkward at first when he moved into her dorm but the two quickly formed a close friendship. They realized they had a lot in common. Both have been through hard times and had a financially capable individual come to their aid.

Besides, there were only a few dinosaur students at the school, and the fact that both of them were of the same species strengthened that bond they've formed. Charmaine on the other hand completely escaped dorm life. Her father was more than happy to accept James' offer and she was given a bedroom all to herself in James' Waterfront Residence. Her newfound friend enthusiastically took her on a tour of his property and quickly shocked her with his car collection alone.

His Lamborghini was like a Toyota Prius to what he had inside the garage. Also equally impressive was his gun collection. James was most proud of one particular firearm; an engraved M1928 Thompson Submachine gun plated with 22k gold which belonged to his grandfather. "This I've only shot once." He shows the gun to Charmaine. "And grandpa himself only fired it twice."

"I can see why." She inspects the fine engravings. "In someone else's hands, I'd be really nervous. But you? I feel safe."

"That's because you know me." James holds the gun out. "Want to handle it?"

"N-No thanks, I'm not exactly the gun girl."

"Right." James places the Tommy gun back into its display case. As he did, a question popped into his head. When he presented the gun to Charmaine, he could see a look of nervousness in her eyes. It puzzled him as to why she would be terrified of an inanimate object. Yes it was a gun designed for war and yes it gained its notoriety during the 20s but for all intents and purposes, the Tommy gun is just a beautifully crafted gold plated machine without a loaded drum and an angry man pointing it at his target.

Not wanting to keep his Hoplophobic friend in the gun room any longer than he needed to, James ended the tour and allowed her to return to what she was doing. Charmaine was overwhelmed by the time it all ended. She never expected the son of the Capo Di Tutti Capi to have such incredible wealth. Neither did she expect him to have such estrangement with his father while at the same time agreeing to become his father's replacement.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Pull!"

 _BANG_

Flying at roughly eighty eight kilometers an hour, a clay pigeon explodes into tiny chunks after being struck by birdshot pellets from a 12 gauge over-under shotgun. At station one, James breaks his shotgun open and ejects the spent casing before placing the gun on his right shoulder. He looks over to a much older gentleman on his right who was clutching a side-by-side shotgun and shakes his head. Despite countless suggestions by him and other shooters, this particular man refused to swap his old "coachgun" for an over-under.

Just like James, he releases a clay pigeon into the air by yelling "pull" and tracks it with his gun. He pulls the trigger and blasts it out of the sky, but only just. While James' pigeon shattered into a million pieces, the man's pigeon only split into two, meaning he had struck the nose. Seems he might be moving too fast or maybe it's because his gun was designed to shoot actual birds and not ones with designated flight paths. "Twenty two to fifteen." The range officer said before activating the range buzzer to signal the end of the session.

Three shooters proceeded to step up to the firing line, switching places with James and the man as they placed their shotguns on the gun racks and sat down in the shooter's rest area. James grabs two cups of chilled lemonade from the drinks dispenser; one for him and one for his pal.

"You're a hell of a shot." The man remarks. "Every time we step up to the firing line, you hand my arse to me."

"Except that one occasion." James smiles. "Besides, you should listen to the community for once, Richard."

"Hey, my grandfather shot trap with this same exact gun."

"Yeah, back when John Browning had yet to invent the Superposed Shotgun."

"Still he scored exactly like you."

"Look, no offense pal. But he was quite a young man when he took those medals home. And you're uhm… Kind of an old fart to be honest."

"Is that a challenge I hear?" Richard takes another box of birdshot and pours the contents into the pockets of his shooting vest. "We're up next after them."

"If blasting shells into the air is your way of having fun then sure." James sighs before filling the pockets of his own vest with shells. "And no we're not going up next."

"Oh right, the three musketeers are here."

Both shared a chuckle. "Musketeer" was a nickname given by the trap community of this particular range for those who scored under five consistently and the three blokes who were going in after the current shooters were finished were all "Musketeers", which earned them the perfect nickname. Just then, two visitors stepped into the trap range. James and Richard turn to face the visitors were were surprised to find Ali and Charmaine walking towards them.

It was Ali who suggested that Charmaine follow her on her visit to the range to overcome her Hoplophobia. "Ah yes, James." Richard said. "I'd like to thank you for taking care of my daughter's accommodation."

"And I'd like to thank you for being so open." James replies. "Some parents would barge into my house and point a forty four magnum at me at the slightest suggestion."

"You know me, I'm open minded like you."

"True."

While all four of them knew each other, they somehow split into two camps with the males on one side and the females on the other. Charmaine was also quite nervous where she sat as the shotgun rack was right next her and she could touch one just by reaching her hand out. Ali had purposely made her sit there right next to the guns for a good reason, though this tactic didn't seem to help her overcome her fear of guns. Suddenly she jolts in surprise and covers her ears, her whole body beginning to shake in fear.

The shooter at station three had just fired his shotgun, triggering her phobia. James shakes his head when he saw his friend's reaction and suggested to Richard that he'd help her overcome her fear with a more hands-on approach. "Seems like this is the only method we have left." He nods. "Go ahead." James gets up from his chair and walks over to the rack to grab his shotgun before tapping Charmaine on the shoulder. She was a little perplexed as to why he would want her to follow him but complied anyways.

Both of them left the trap range and headed to the open range. This was where most of the club members spent their free time as there was no restriction on the type of firearm. All you had to do was bring your own legally licensed gun or rent one from the armory. For some reason, the range was deserted today with the exception of two shooters shooting rented .22 LR bolt action rifles. James places his shotgun on the table of one of the booths and looked at the open chamber to make sure it was unloaded.

"Go on." He said as he steps back from the firing line.

"What? No!" She exclaims. "You know I have a fear of-"

"Which is why I brought you here in the first place." James takes two shells from his shooting vest pocket. "You trust me, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Then let's overcome your Hoplophobia."

Despite her mind telling her to back away, Charmaine steps into the booth. She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths before placing her hand on the gun. To her surprise, it wasn't as freaky as she'd thought. In fact, the gun felt exactly like how James described it to her back in his residence; a precision crafted machine made from the finest materials by talented gunsmiths. James takes the gun away momentarily and shows her how to properly mount and take the correct sight picture.

He then hands the gun back to her along with two shotgun shells. Charmaine's left hand shook when she placed those shells into the chamber and snapped the gun shut. She takes the shooting position James had shown her and places the stock on her shoulder just like he instructed. Her cheek pressed firmly against the stock, Charmaine bears down on the bead with her dominant eye while keeping her left eye open. James had specified that she keep both eyes open as that was how professionals did it.

"Okay, now pull the trigger gently till you hit the wall." He said. "Once you feel it, just-"

 _BANG_

This being her first time firing a gun, she instinctively blinked when the gun went off. She pulls the trigger a second time and fires off the second barrel, blinking the second time as well. For a first timer, she did pretty well. The center of her target was peppered with birdshot pellets with only a few pellets hitting outside the center circle. Charmaine opens the chamber of the shotgun after being instructed by James and ejects the spent casings, smiling when she did.

So much for her fear of guns. Her father and friend were both right all along. These things may be weapons but they are only as good or bad as the ones handling them. Guns may take a life in a bad guy's hands but they can also save lives in the hands of a good guy like a cop or armed citizen defending his family.

"Not so scary now, eh?" James sneers.

"Yeah." She grins. "Although my shoulder hurts like hell."

"Most first timers say the same thing."

"That's good to know." She glares at the shotgun briefly. "You know why I'm so nervous about guns?"

"Not really."

Charmaine told James everything about the day which traumatized her. She was just ten years old back then and her father had recently become the new owner of the Gilbert Shipping Company, which he renamed to Nightingale Shipping Company. With this new position, Richard knew he had to have something in the house to defend himself, his family, and his assets from home invaders. Guns seemed like the most obvious choice as his business partners all had firearms at home and some even carry pistols to work.

So he went in search of one and, being the old school type, bought a military surplus Lee Enfield No I MKIII* rifle from the First World War. He also took possession of his father's Webley MK IV Service Revolver which he kept in his office. Despite some of his friends suggesting that he hire one or two bodyguards to accompany him, Richard refused. He felt that he was the one who should be responsible for the safety of the entire family and not complete strangers whose loyalty was bought with money.

But Richard forgot about teaching his children how to handle guns, believing they were too young to even lift them up. Only his wife received professional training and knew the basics of gun safety. This came back to bite him in the rear end one day. Charmaine and her sister were playing a game of hide and seek one day and they soon found themselves in their parents' bedroom. While searching through the cupboard for her sister, Charmaine discovered her father's rifle and picked it up out of curiosity.

Her sister came in not too long after as she shouted about finding "dad's rifle". They toyed around with it, pointing it at one another with no regard for gun safety whatsoever since they had no clue what it was. Then her sister found the old bayonet which came with the rifle when their father bought it. Both of them innocent children, they decide to play a game of "war". Charmaine was the only one strong enough to carry the rifle so she became the riflewoman.

Before they started, Charmaine searched for a way to remove the magazine and quickly found out how to. Wouldn't want to shoot her own sister now would she? Her sister also placed the bayonet back in its scabbard for safety purposes. It all seemed safe and they began. Charmaine's sister charged towards her with the bayonet lifted while she took aim with the rifle and pulled the trigger. To her horror, the supposedly unloaded gun roared to life and sent its deadly payload into her sister's chest.

"Melissa!" She gasps. "Sis, are you okay?"

Unfortunately for her, the bullet had struck Melissa in the heart and she died from her wounds within a matter of seconds. It was a day which she would never forget. Her father too remembered this day vividly and to this day, Richard regretted not having taught his children proper gun safety. Charmaine would've continued to have Hoplophobia as well if James had not helped her overcome her fear with his hands-on approach.

"Thank you, James." She smiles. "There's something I'd like to give you in return."

"And what might that be?"

In a move which catches James by surprise, Charmaine places her arm on his shoulder and pulls him in tightly. Next thing they knew, both of their lips adjoined and they kissed. James' heartbeat soared and he felt a mixture of happiness and shock. Then his phone rang, interrupting the rather passionate moment they shared. "You're very naughty." He shoots her a playful look before checking a newly received text message. "Ah, and I was really hoping to whoop your old man in the ass yet again."

"I thought you were going to once we got back?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Your dad has to go attend a meeting… Which gives us plenty of time."

"For?"

"How 'bout a nice cruise along the Riviera. I'll pull the Alfa out of the garage."

"What Alfa?"

"Alfa Romeo Spider."

"How Italian of you."

"You do realize I was born in Italy right?"

"Right." An idea suddenly pops into Charmaine's mind. "Why don't we visit your place of birth?"

"Sure."

The teenagers left the shooting range after James had his shotgun packed up in its Walnut case. Though they had just shared a first kiss, neither expected their friendship to become more than what it was. In Elysium, it was quite common for friends of the opposite gender to kiss one another as a means to show how close of a friendship they had. On the other hand, so called friendship kisses were not done often. If it was…


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Littlefoot and Ali were in a bit of a jiffy as they navigated through the maze like pathways of Lucca. Like James and Charmaine, they've come to Italy but for a whole different purpose. They were here to take to unwind on the first weeks of their summer holiday while their human counterparts were merely here for a short tour of Italy which included visiting James' hometown of Sicily. Right now, the Apatosauruses regretted entering the town itself as they have become lost.

No matter where they went, they always ended up back in the square. Everyone else didn't seem to have a clue where they were going as well. Worse still, both of them spoke no Italian, making it difficult to communicate with the locals. On the plus side, phone signals were strong here and Littlefoot did make sure to pack a JP200 phone with him. Built specifically for dinosaurs with no arms, someone had to carry the thing for the user, and Littlefoot was that carrier. Ali opened the saddle pack zipper with her mouth and tapped on the keypad with her head while Littlefoot gave her James' number.

"Yeah? Lost you say?" A bemused voice came through. "Why did you enter in the first place if you had no idea how to navigate?"

"Can't you just tell us how to get out?" Ali said irritatedly. "We still have places to go y'know?"

"Okay okay, where are you exactly?"

"The Piazza Dell something."

"The Dell Anfiteatro?"

"Yeah, that."

"Get on the Via Anfiteatro, make a left and walk down till you reach the Fillungo. Go left and head down till you see the Piazza San Frediano. Head into the Piazza and keep going straight. You should reach the parking lot and from there you'll see the grand entrance."

"Thanks."

James chuckled and shook his head when he ended the call and placed his mobile phone back in his pocket. Why on Earth the teenaged Apatosauruses would want to enter the maze like city of Lucca baffled him. Just then, he felt something warm on his lap and turned to look. Charmaine had her left hand on his lap and the smile on her face was one of the most seductive he had ever seen. What a lucky man he was to have such a beautiful young lady fall for him.

At least, right now it seems she was falling for him.

Back in Lucca, Littlefoot followed Ali's lead as she took him to the Via Anfiteatro and made a left. With only her memory of James' words to guide her, she makes a left and heads down the path till she reached a two way junction. Another left she remembered him saying then a right onto a Piazza something. It was like navigating through a maze but eventually, they found the car park. And straight ahead were the city walls and the main entrance.

So much for a short excursion into the center. They've spent almost half a day there and by now, the sun was slowly setting. "Next time." Ali said to her friend. "We stay off maze like cities."

* * *

Along the scenic coastal road of Italy, a bright red Alfa Romeo Spider cruised with at a steady thirty five miles per hour. In the right side passenger seat, Charmaine admired the view of the coast. Just across the sea was France and she could just see the Riviera from here. A selection of James' favorite jazz love songs played on the radio, adding a little romantic touch to the atmosphere. James kept his eyes on the road, occasionally speeding up to thrill himself and his friend.

On his face could be seen a relaxed smile, a typical expression for him whenever he took the Alfa out for a cruise. Though he loved his Lamborghini Gallardo dearly, there are certain times when a slower more laidback drive was desired, like when driving up and down the roads of the Italian Coast. Unlike Littlefoot and Ali, neither of the humans wanted to visit Lucca since they did not want to end up lost in its maze like pathways. Besides, both have been there with their respective families before and knew what was inside Maze City.

Instead, they had their sights set on the Island of Sicily. As his friend wanted to see his birthplace, James was taking her to Palermo. And while there, he would introduce her to Don Giovanni, the second most powerful mob boss in Elysium. "Are we visiting the Catacombs of Palermo?" Charmaine asked, totally unaware of the fact that James never really liked to see the mummified remains of dead people.

"Nah, I hate mummies." He answers. "We're going to visit the more beautiful and romantic locations. And while we're there, I'll introduce you to an acquaintance of mine."

"Not a bad idea."

"Or if you want, I could take the old Burgess Silver Fast out for a spin."

"You own a yacht?"

"Why of course. You want to come aboard?"

"Who wouldn't want to?"

For the remainder of their journey to the ferry which would take them to Palermo, James and Charmaine admired the scenery with few words between them, sometimes cracking light hearted jokes when they felt like it. By the time they reached the ferry, the evening had already arrived and the sun slowly set on the western horizon. Charmaine disembarked from the car and ran up to the passenger deck while her friend parked his Alfa Romeo in the vehicle deck below before joining her.

The view up here was simply beautiful and very very romantic. On their right, the sun inched towards the sea while giving the sky a shade of orange and yellow and on their left, darkness slowly crept in. In front of them was the Island of Sicily and lights were slowly being switched on. Charmaine and James both had their hands on the railings as they admire the view, occasionally glaring at one another and smiling when they made eye contact.

Little by little, Charmaine moved closer to her friend till her elbow touched his. She then places her left hand on his right hand, a move which surprises him. So she is in love with me all because I helped her overcome her Hoplophobia, James thought. Am I really that good of a man? He thought again. If his friends had been in his shoes, they would've accepted her immediately. Charmaine was very pretty and her smile was very seductive. And she wasn't a gold digger either so your financial background didn't really matter.

But James was different. He never liked to rush things and he felt it would be better off for the two of them to know each other before they started dating, though it seems Charmaine had already begin the so called affair of theirs. Before she could go further however, the announcer on the ship interrupted her. They were nearing Sicily and it was time for the passengers to return to their vehicles. James moved away from the rail and walked back to his car to start it up while Charmaine admired the view for a few more minutes before joining him.

They disembarked at exactly half past seven and began their three hour and thirteen minute long drive from Messina to Palermo. Usually the drive took two hours and twenty six minutes but James preferred the more scenic E45-A19 Route. Besides, Charmaine would probably appreciate the beautiful sunset view from the highway instead of a shorter drive to Palermo.

Off the island and way up north, Littlefoot and Ali disembark from the D-bus, a bus designed specifically for dinosaurs to ride. They have just reached Rome and were now walking towards the hotel they would stay for the night. While Sicily was indeed on their list of places to visit, their visit would not coincide with James and Charmaine's visit. Even if it did, Littlefoot and Ali planned only a short stay in Palermo as they wanted to tour the whole island.

"What is it called again?" Littlefoot asks. "The Di something?"

"The Hotel Scalinata Di Spagna." Ali answers. "Wow, that's a mouthful."

"Let me guess, it's James' suggestion."

"He said it was a good hotel."

"No, I'm not talking about that. It's just that you shouldn't really trust him that much."

"But why?"

"You know what happened."

"He said so himself, his father forced him to become a witness."

"That's his current version." He sighs. "Back when I met him outside the court, he told me about his father making him do so. I asked if he could've said no but he said the police have already taken his statement and it wouldn't have changed much."

"But it would have…"

"Yeah, because by law the police cannot intervene in private suits."

"Don't you think he could've grown to regret it?"

"Maybe. But the fact that he lied to us didn't exactly help his cause."

"True." Ali hits her friend lightly with her tail. "Enough of this nonsense, let's just go check in."

While the two Apatosauruses made their way towards their hotel, James' red Alfa Romeo pulled out from a massive Sicilian Estate. Formerly his father's property, he seized it with the help of his men and that of Don Marcus Giovanni's son Roberto Giovanni. While Don Giovanni and Charles Burnett have been on good terms ever since their careers began, conflicts have arisen lately. Charles wanted total control of Elysium and had so far seized territories from all the bosses on the continent of Elysium with the exception of Italy.

He saved Italy for last because Giovanni had been a good friend of his. But the time eventually came for Italy to be taken and thus, the conflicts began. Unfortunately for Charles, the people of Italy loved Giovanni dearly just like they loved Salvatore Giuliano and Aspanu Pisciotta. Unlike the other Dons of Italy who only did favors if there was something in return, Don Giovanni helped everyone to reach a compromise they could all agree on and rarely enlisted the help of his muscle.

Don Giovanni knew he could not hold out for long against the soon to be Don of Elysium, which is why he started supporting James when he realized a rift had been created between father and son as a result of the McDonalds case, such as allowing his own son Roberto to assist James in the hostile takeover of his father's property in Sicily. As he pulled up into the compound that was Don Giovanni's residence and office, James knew he had more to do than just introduce Charmaine to his acquaintance.

Both men shook hands and embraced when they saw each other. Don Giovanni was almost blown away when he saw Charmaine for the first time. "And I thought the lady my son fell in love with was the most beautiful." He shook hands with Charmaine. "James is really lucky to have you, Signora."

"Thank you." She smiles.

"Don Giovanni, your son said you were anxious to see me." James said. "Something up?"

"It's better if we discuss that in my office." Giovanni glares at a beautiful blonde young lady who was only slightly older than Charmaine. "Why don't you take our guest for a little shopping trip, Debbie."

"Why of course." She said before greeting Charmaine. "Shall we?"

"Sure."

The ladies were soon out of the house, leaving only the powerful men and an army of bodyguards. James and Marcus Giovanni entered the office on the second floor and went straight to business after Giovanni had shut the door. Don Giovanni informed James of Charles's plan to take over the continent of Elysium and how he had bumped off every single Don on the continent with the exception of him and James. And the only reason he hadn't touched Giovanni was because both of them were on good friends.

As for Charles not touching his own son well, he did need an heir to the throne after all. James was horrified when he learnt of the truth. His father had completely deviated from the honor that the Mafia pride themselves on. Dons were supposed to build a network and trust one another, not bump each other off to seize bigger and bigger portions of territory. Worse still, Charles had completely ignored the creed of the Elysian Mafia which placed the Mafia commission to settle inter-family conflicts of interest.

"And I thought he couldn't get any worse." James sighs. "Yes, I will help you to defeat him. In exchange, I will take his position and let Italy be ruled by true Italian."

"That is good enough for me." Don Giovanni smiles. "When can it be done?"

"I need to find a reason to act first. And without the commission running the show…"

"A big problem we face."

"Exactly."

"Ah, if only we stopped him earlier."

"Don't worry." James gives the Don a pat on the back. "If he makes one move against you, he is history."

"Why so?"

"A wise guy once said that to truly kill a snake, one must first cut off its head. And I will do that if he does anything stupid."

"You are a smart man, Don Burnett." Don Giovanni fills two shot glasses with Jack Daniels and hands one to his friend. "To our friendship."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 _NEW RULER OF NORTH CRETACEOUS THREATENS INVASION, SEVERS TIES_

Surprisingly Don Burnett made no further moves to take over Italy. Maybe someone had broken the code of Omerta and told him about the meeting between his son and Don Giovanni. Ever since the McDonalds incident, Charles had tried his best to reconcile with his son and though he hasn't had any luck so far, he was reluctant to further sour relations by going against his own son. But his father was the least of James' concerns. He had been reading the morning newspaper and the headline worried him.

If war does ever break out, a lot of people will be drafted to help the war effort. Though he himself would definitely be exempted or given a really really really high draft number as no one would be dumb enough to draft a crime boss into the military, James knew an old pal of his would be drafted should war ever break out. But a question kept floating in his mind. Why on Earth would the ruler of a Victorian Era like nation want war against a sophisticated first world united continent?

Either the ruler was a mentally unstable moron or they were more developed than it seems on the surface. "Surprise!" Charmaine suddenly appears in front of him and hands him a small wrapped box. "Happy seventeenth birthday." Ah yes, James almost forgot. Today was the 21st of May and it was his birthday. This year would also be his last year in high school and that bought a mixed bag of feelings. Charmaine had plans to study foreign language in Berlin and that meant they would soon be separating.

James didn't want their affair to end but it was Charmaine's wish to become bilingual, and this wish he would honor. But wait… What if he hired teachers to come teach her at the residence? That way he could honor her wish and be together with her at the same time! Even better, what if-

"James! Hello!" Charmaine waves her hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

"W-What? Oh, thank you." He takes the box from her.

"You seem like you were deep in thought just now."

"Oh, I was wondering if I could hire foreign language teachers and have them teach you right here."

"So you ARE afraid of losing me."

"Yes! I mean, no. I mean-"

Charmaine giggled when she saw her friend's cheeks redden in sheer embarrassment. Then, without warning, he looked her in the eye. Both their heartbeats began rising and they could feel a warm and fuzzy feeling within them. For some reason, DJs of the radio station James had tuned into seemed to have detected the mood change and chose this exact moment to play Can You Feel The Love Tonight by Elton John. James placed the gift on the coffee table and stood up from the couch.

In an instant, Charmaine found herself looking up rather than down and the next thing she knew, James had his hands on her shoulder. Then she screamed, but not in fear. Why? Because her friend made a sudden move and pushed her onto the couch. She was now lying down facing upwards while her friend was on top of her, looking down. They could feel the warmth of each other's bodies and when their face got close, the breath coming out of each other's nostrils.

"Oh, I miss more than just your good looks." James smiles playfully. "So yeah, would you like having teachers to come down here just to teach you?"

"Sure." She kisses him on the left cheek. "All on your tab?"

"All on my tab."

"Wonderful."

"Now, let's just cherish this moment of passion."

The two wrap their hands around one another and slowly moved their faces closer to one another till their lips finally adjoined. If Richard Nightingale saw this, he would be jumping in joy. Indeed he was an open man and while he didn't like the idea of teenage marriage, if he saw this he would feel a little less worried as his daughter had finally found that special someone in her life.

While the humans showed their true passion for one another, Madeline continued to work docks. Though today was supposed to be her rest day as she had suffered an injury to her leg, Richard threatened her with a cut in her paycheck, a cut she could not afford to take as her son needed her support. At her request, William Archer stopped providing the extra thirty thousand as Richard had given her a salary rise to take her off all forms of welfare and charity support.

In essence, this was much better in the long run as the Nightingale shipping company could force her to work longer hours than everyone else with the threat of cutting her salary in half. Though Madeline's legs ached and she sometime buckled under the pain, the thought of her son made her power through her injuries and continue hauling the heavy containers side by side with the forklifts and transport trucks. There was a thunderstorm going on today, not exactly ideal conditions to be working under.

Human workers and dinosaurs up to Utahraptor in size were given raincoats to help shield them from the rain as they toiled but these did little to shield them from the howling winds. In fact the winds were so strong, those with umbrellas had to fight Mother Nature for control of their only shield against the shower. Littlefoot and Ali were supposed to leave the shopping mall twenty minutes ago but the downpour and heavy winds forced them to remain inside. So they headed over to a restaurant and got themselves something to drink while passing the time.

"Must be terrible for your mother to work in the docks like this." Ali said. "Cold water spraying down, howling winds blowing into her face… Can't my dad understand workers are living things too?"

"Let's just hope my mother's legs hold up."

Things were getting worse and worse for the workers on the docks. According to weather forecasters, the wind had just picked up speed and judging by the looks of the clouds, things were turning for the worse. Human workers, whom Richard knew had learnt the basics of worker rights at school and would definitely sue if they wanted, were asked to stop work and go home immediately while their dinosaur counterparts continued to toil.

Heavy waves splashed onto the docks, creating a slippery and potentially fatal disaster waiting to happen. Still, no order was given for the dinosaurs to stop work. As Madeline walked back towards the loading area to pick up another shipping container, she lost her footing and since there was no support beam to stop her, she fell into the water. Two of her co-workers saw her falling in and quickly activated the emergency beacon. Quick response teams put on their work suits and ready themselves to brave the storm.

When they arrived however, Madeline was nowhere to be seen. Where had she gone? The answer came quickly from her co-workers. After falling in, she managed to resurface but was quickly dragged back down by a Vortex created by the waves and so far, they've yet to see her come back up. Out of sight and deep beneath the surface, Madeline trashed around and kicked in a vain effort to free herself from the Vortex's grip. Slowly, the air in her lungs turned to CO2 and she exhaled whenever it got too unbearable, causing huge bubbles to hit the surface.

She had been caught by the hidden monster of the sea. Not a beast but a natural phenomenon so beautiful, you'd not believe it could kill. The air in her lungs now gone, she breathed in water. It filled her lungs, it filled her stomach, causing her to choke and crushing her in all directions. The Vortex was dragging her down deeper and deeper. She could still see the surface but it was miles and away and getting further and further away. Images of her son flashed in front of her, for she knew only isolation existed down here. Nothing but fish would survive down here and neither would she.

* * *

When the storm finally cleared, the rescue teams deployed submersibles down to the bottom of the dock where they located Madeline's body. Her eyes were still wide open and her belly bloated. There was a reason she did not float to the surface and everyone knew that reason. With the help of a heavy duty deep sea crane designed to lift up the heaviest of cargo containers, they pulled her body back onto the docks.

Detective Sgt. Julius, an Indomimus Rex part of local branch of the National Police of Elysium(NPE)was the first of his colleagues to arrive on the scene and he quickly questions the workers and rescue team members to get the exact chronology of events. Police cars soon filled up the parking lot and the officers on the scene quickly set up a cordon to keep curious civilians from clogging up the scene. Littlefoot was brought to the scene in the back of a Police G-Wagon, accompanied by his friend Ali.

He was Madeline's only family member who had freedom of movement and they needed to identify her body. Tears streamed from Littlefoot's eyes when he saw his mother's body. Ever since his father was sent to the Gulag, Littlefoot had become extremely close to his mother. And now she was dead, all because Richard Nightingale refused to let them go home for fear of his profits dropping. Worse still, Madeline had been the sole breadwinner of the Apatosaurus family as her husband had been in prison.

With her gone, Littlefoot faced the real possibility of being forced out of school and back onto the streets. But wait, this was his final year in high school and he had already finished the first semester. The law specified that in the event of a worker getting disabled or killed, it was necessary for the company to pay compensation to the family members of that worker. If Littlefoot could get compensation from Nightingale Shipping, he would have enough cash to pay his second semester fees and finish high school.

This would not be easy however as Richard Nightingale was extremely materialistic and records show his workers have never been compensated before. His extremely tight relationship with Charles Burnett meant he was practically excluded from the law. Light rain still pouring down from the sky, Littlefoot sat down on the sidewalk and looked down at his own reflection in a puddle of water. He wondered what his mother was doing in her final moments.

Did she accept her fate and waited patiently for her imminent departure? Or was she fighting to the last pocket of air in her lungs with him in her mind as motivation?

From the sidelines, Ali felt her heart ache. It pained her to see her friend in such sorrow, and this feeling was multiplied as they had an extremely close friendship. Then, as if his mother was looking out for him, something unexpected happened. Detective Sgt. Julius, who had been questioning the other witnesses earlier, suddenly emerged from the police cordon and pushed Ali aside as he walked towards Littlefoot. He then sits down beside the poor thing and placed his right hand on the Apatosaurus' back.

"You uhm, close with your mother, kid?" He asks.

"Yeah." Littlefoot sniffles. "And now that she's gone…"

"Oh, you poor child." Julius wraps his arms around Littlefoot's neck and hugs him. "Hush now, there is no point dwelling on it."

"But I miss her so much."

"She's not gone, kid. I don't know what your belief is but from where I come from, those who pass on don't actually leave us."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they're just no longer able to be with us physically. They are up there beyond the clouds, looking down at us."

"But I can't see her."

"That's part of it. You can't see your lost loved ones but they can see you. And to be honest, I don't think your mother would want you to sit in the rain like this."

"It's not just about my mother, y'know?"

"Let me guess; school."

"Yeah, and I don't think I can get the compensation from Nightingale Shipping."

"You just go to school as usual; I will take care of the fees. In the meantime, you can stay at my place until you can support yourself."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Kid, you've been through a lot. Now it's time for you to live a more comfortable life."

"I-I'm… Thank you Detective Sergeant Julius."

"You're welcome, Littlefoot." He stands up. "Fancy some coffee? I haven't eaten breakfast y'know?"

"Sure."

While Julius drove off in his Patrol G-Wagen 6x6 with Littlefoot sitting in the SUV bed, Ali walked to the nearest bus station and took a D-bus to the airport and flew home on her adoptive father's Learjet. A sense of duty had overcome her and she felt she needed to do something for her friend. Richard was already back home watching an old movie when his adoptive daughter came through the front door and was quite surprised when she told him they needed to chat privately in his personal quarters on the second floor of his Villa.

In the kitchen, a bowl of lettuce which was clearly meant for Ali's dinner sat in a corner. Cynthia was not more than a few inches away, preparing Sirloin steak for the rest of the family. Without warning, a loud shout came from her husband's upstairs quarters. Earlier her adoptive daughter had asked to see him personally and it seems that their little chat had become a heated argument. Cynthia found it odd that Richard would be arguing with his adoptive daughter as they have been on good terms so far. What on Earth could they possibly be arguing about?

A very angry Ali soon emerged from Richard's quarters and came down the stairs, making sure to stomp her feet and louden her walk. In a move which shocks Cynthia, her adoptive daughter walks out from the front door without bothering to look at her or say goodbye. This would be the last time she saw her with her family still intact, though she had no idea of this. Richard came down from his quarters not too long after Ali had left and he sat back down in the couch.

"What happened?" Cynthia asks.

"Ali blamed me for causing the death of her friend's mother." He sighs frustratedly. "And what's more, she wants me to pay compensation."

"But how could she blame you? It was a work related accident!"

"Precisely, it should be the company paying, not me. And I've made a point to remind my workers on day one that there would be no compensation unless they wanted to cut a small chunk from their paycheck."

"You could cut a chunk from Madeline's paycheck."

"I'd love to but she is, as James would say, swimming with the fishes, which means there IS no paycheck to cut."

"But that argument got heated. Why is that?"

"Ali wanted me to make an exception for Madeline's son because he is her friend."

"Isn't that what friends are for?"

"I can't do that, Cynth. If I did, what would my workers think of me?"

"They already see you as an asshole."

"And that would make me an asshole who treats everyone unequally."

"True."

"What's worse…" Richard rests his head against the wall. "She's going to ask my daughter to talk to me."

"You could say the same thing to her."

"No, I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about James finding out, given how Ali seems hell bent on letting everyone know."

"What's wrong with James?"

"He sees our family as a model family. Ali's case can't be good for our image now can't it?"

"Don't worry hon, I'm sure he'll understand."

* * *

Two men armed with MP9 machine pistols escort Ali into the main house of James' residence and take her up to his office. Just like how most people described, there was an exquisite looking table and two chairs for businessmen to sit down and discuss deals with him. Don Burnett himself sat behind his table, glaring at two monitors; one showing a live feed of the stock market and the other his Facebook account. He had a cup of black coffee by his side too as well as a M1928 Thompson submachine gun propped right next to him.

James was quite surprised when he saw Ali in front of him. Clearly she had serious issues to deal with or she wouldn't be seeing him. He orders his two bodyguards to leave the room and continue about their duties and summons his personal enforcers to his office to manage security. To his surprise, Charmaine followed the men into his office. She had been reading a book in the living room when she saw her adoptive sister come through with two men escorting her and was quite curious as to why Ali would pay her Mafia Don friend a visit.

"Well, I guess I won't be needing your help, James." Ali smiles. "I was going to ask to see Charmaine."

"You could've told the guards that y'know?" He responds.

"What is it about?" Charmaine asks.

"Your father; He doesn't want to pay compensation for-"

"We've heard, James and I. And let me guess, you want me to talk to him."

"My words seem to have no effect."

"And neither would Charmaine's." James stands up. "Let me handle the case."

"Woah there, cowboy." She exclaims. "No need to pull the big guns just yet."

"If you've read the news today, you would know what sort of person Richard is. And I don't think he'll budge even with your mother against him."

"What do you suggest then?" Ali asks.

"Let me talk to him first. We're going trap shooting tomorrow anyways." James sits back down. "In the meantime, stay here at my place. Your dad will be sending muscle to look for you."

Dismissing his enforcers, Charmaine, and Ali, James returns to his computer. But he wasn't looking at his Facebook account anymore. Instead he went over to the news portals to reread the articles about Madeline's demise and Richard's cold response to the incident. That wise guy's quote "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles" was once again extremely prevalent. If he was to win a debate against the corporatist, he would have to find a weakness he could exploit and turn the tables against him.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Compared to his other range days, today was rather cloudy and it seemed like a downpour would begin in the not too distant future. Richard takes his side-by-side shotgun from the trunk of his Beemer and assembled it before placing it on his shoulder with the gun broke open. Even though he already lost more than a couple of matches to James and every single match against other shooters except musketeers, Richard remained adamant about taking his coachgun to the range and refused to buy any form of sporting over-under shotgun.

Before he could even begin his short walk towards the range, Richard heard the unmistakable sound of a Lamborghini V12. Only one person drove to the range frequently in a Lamborghini, and that was James. Oddly, the exhaust note of this particular Lamborghini sounded different and when Richard turned in the direction of the noise, he found himself staring at his childhood dream car; a Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovavole. James had never mentioned owning a Countach before, let alone driving one to the range.

He probably had good reason for doing so. Countaches might look cool but you could get a back pain if you drove it for long distances. That coupled with the fact that James kept a low profile regarding his car and gun collection meant very few of people know the true size of what he had in storage. But then, something struck Richard. While the trunk of the Countach was big enough to store James' shotgun, he didn't seem to have taken it for this trip to the range. Instead, when he got out of the car, James made a beeline for the trap range without even checking his trunk. On top of that, he had a rather old fashioned white pastel suit on over a blue t-shirt instead of his shooting vest.

Maybe his friend was just here to say hi before rushing over to a friend's place for some sort of party with an eighties vibe or something or maybe he was feeling nostalgic. Whatever it was, Richard didn't want to question his friend about it and just wanted to have a relaxing weekend range day. Unfortunately for Richard, his friend was here to have a word with him.

"If you don't mind Rich, I'd like you to put that shotgun down." James said. "Then follow me out back."

"Seems important." He complies and follows James to a quieter area of the range. "What's going on?"

"It's about that compensation issue. Now I know you've made it clear to your workers that they could get compensation by slicing a portion of next month's salary-"

"Yes but Madeline is dead and there is no paycheck to cut."

"True, but why don't we make one exception? Call this a favor between friends."

"I wish I could, James. But my workers would see this as unfair treatment."

"Can't blame em for having no friends in high places. Only a few are lucky enough to have powerful friends."

"I still can't do it."

"Why not?"

"My company is facing great financial issues thanks to that. People are boycotting Nightingale Shipping-"

"Because you don't care about your workers' wellbeing." James went on to explain the importance of workers' laws and how they might actually help a company benefit. Most citizens of Elysium have a rather narrow minded thinking of how the world works and see everything in black and white. If you do something bad, you're a bad guy and if you do something good, you're a good guy. By caring for his workers, Richard could make himself seem more benevolent and everyone could be made into believing that he turned over a new leaf after the incident.

Profits might go down momentarily as a result of extra costs but they would soon rise up and maybe even surpass what he was getting now. There was a reason why James was raking in more profits than his father and that was due to his amiable nature and willingness to help everyone for all walks of life without requesting for payment, though he still asked for some form of favor in return if he desired. And unlike his father, who made his profits in front of all to see, James' profits came from his loansharking and protection rackets. And with so many of them around the south of France, it was easy to see why he could pull in more than triple what his father was getting.

Unfortunately for James, his acquaintance refused to change his way of treating the workers as he would not sacrifice even one cent's worth of profits for them. What he raked in was what he cared the most and he would rather keep the lower profits than have a momentary drop in profits.

"So they were right, you are all about the money." James nods, not in agreement but in displeasure and frustration. "Fine then, you keep doing what you're doing. But there is another meeting coming up in a day or two at your office. Only it won't be as mutual as this one."

"Please James, you have to understand!"

"Eleven in the morning at the Nightingale Shipping Headquarters."

Richard's heart sank when he saw his acquaintance drive off in his white Lamborghini Countach. When his adoptive daughter left the house, he had expected that she would bring his biological daughter in. Instead, she pulled the big guns and turned one of his most powerful friends against him. And with James wanting a second, less diplomatic sort of meeting, he knew there was a war brewing.

* * *

Mafioso armed with submachine guns disembarked from a convoy of ten Toyota Land Cruisers before making their way to their designated positions. From his office, Richard breathed a sigh of relief. Charles Burnett had followed through with his promise and had dispatched his small army. But a worried feeling still gripped Richard. When he met Charles to plead for extra muscle, he made no mention that it was James who made the threat and instead placed the blame on a fictional gangbanger called Morgan Jensen.

If the Godfather figured out the truth, he could pull his men back at any given point or worse, turn them loose against him. The convoy of Land Cruisers quickly left after unloading their cargo per the instructions of Charles himself. Minutes later, a Mercedes Maybach S600 Pullman Guard came through the main entrance. Two of James' personal bodyguards emerged from the armored limousine and one of them walks over to open the left side rear passenger door for him while the other scanned the surrounding area for threats.

Nothing, just sanitation people going about their daily duties. Cars belonging to office employees could be seen parked neatly in the parking lot and a few were even walking towards the main entrance. They're definitely getting a yell from Richard for being late, James thought as he walked through the entrance with his bodyguards by his side. Richard was honestly surprised that James came to see him with relatively light security. Only two men who were armed with pistols escorted him along with a third who stood guard at the car with a Thompson submachine gun.

"Relatively light security you've got." Richard remarks. "Didn't you say something about a less than diplomatic meeting?"

"I figured I'd give you another chance." James smiles. "So, what's it gonna be? Yes or no?"

"Well, I could tell you the answer." He slams on a red button on his table. "But I think you'll like this answer more."

A loud cheesy sounding siren began to sound, accompanied by red lights. It seems that Richard had placed a little bit of humor into his reply. But he didn't…

Seconds after the "answer" went off, two men emerged from a hidden room, both of them armed with M3A1 Grease Guns. At the same time, Richard drew his Webley MKIV service revolver from the first drawer of his desk and cocks the hammer. James' bodyguards reacted quickly and drew their sidearms when the gunmen emerged but they were unable to prevent Richard from firing.

When the Webley went off, James felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and quickly collapsed onto the ground. His bodyguards couldn't care less about killing everyone in the room. They were more focused on getting the Don out of there. Then, Richard got a shock of his life. Out of nowhere, a flight of AH-1 Little Bird choppers came and they begin dropping off mercenary teams comprising of six men. All of them were decked out in tactical gear and there were two machine gunners in each team.

Richard might've dealt a serious blow to his newfound enemy, but he too had a surprise in return. Gunfire raged on outside as Mafioso loyal to Charles were gunned down by the better armed and better trained mercenaries. The third bodyguard who had been standing next to the car was quick to rush inside the building and he found his partners carrying the boss towards the exit. Together they moved him into the back of the armored limousine and hauled ass while the mercenaries took care of the mafia muscle.

Originally their plan was to eliminate Richard once they were done with the Mafioso but James, before going unconscious, ordered them to stand down once they were done with the gunmen. Blood poured out from the open wound and it seems as though the corporatist might've struck a vein. The driver drove as fast as he could, putting everything he had learnt in defensive and tactical driving courses to good use.

Everyone hoped they could make it to the hospital in time before Don Burnett lost too much blood to be saved.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

News of the shooting quickly reached both Charmaine and Ali. Both of them were horrified that Richard would value profits over a longtime friend of his, Charmaine especially since she did not anticipate her father to have the guts to shoot someone who wasn't directly threatening his life. Under the command of Dean Barzini, James' second in command, security at his residence was beefed up. Trusted Mafioso who patrolled the grounds were pulled back to be given specialized training in firearms and tactics while the most trusted of mercenary teams were dropped in to fill the gaps temporarily.

At the hospital, doctors fought furiously to save James' life. Richard's bullet had indeed struck a vein and he lost quite a lot of blood during the trip. Men armed with MP9 machine pistols stood guard outside the ER and there was even two inside the ER to dissuade the surgeons from trying something funny. It took some doing, but eventually they got the bullet out and were startled to find that it was a dum-dum round which hadn't expanded properly.

In fact, it hadn't expanded at all. If it did, the damage might've been more substantial and James could've been dead upon arrival. A stroke of luck on James' part. Now with the bullet out of the way, it was time to plug the wound and replenish the blood he lost. Blood would be the easier part of the operation as James' blood type was AB, making him a universal recipient. Better yet, they had a few IV Bags worth of type AB blood, meaning there was no need to infuse his veins with another blood type.

Back in the Cap d'Ail residence, Charmaine was preparing to take drastic action of her own. She wore her casual T-shirt but underneath that T-shirt was threat level IIIA body armor capable of stopping a full power .44 Magnum round. Concealed underneath her shirt was a IWB holster where she kept a .45 ACP Kimber Sapphire Ultra II pistol. Three men accompanied her out of the main door, each clutching a Thompson submachine gun and carrying concealed M1911A1 pistols.

Her adoptive sister met up with her right next to the Cadillac Escalade which Charmaine and the Mafioso would take to her father's residence in Menton.

"This isn't necessary y'know?" Ali said.

"It's not just about James." She explains. "It's about your friend Littlefoot as well."

"What does this have to do with Littlefoot?"

"My father has penned it in his will that I would take over Nightingale shipping in the event that he passes."

"So you intend to take over your father's company?"

"A hostile takeover but a takeover none the less."

"Be careful, alright?"

"Don't worry sis, I'm not going to make the same mistake James did."

Charmaine climbs into the back of the Cadillac Escalade and left the residence along with the Mafioso. It was quite a long drive from the Cap to Menton, about thirty minutes to be exact. Along the way, Charmaine wondered how her boyfriend was doing. Yes, while neither of them confessed to one another, both knew they were more than just friends. They couldn't live without the other and they felt the same fiery passion for one another.

Her mind drifted from the car to the hospital. Were the doctors making headway with pulling him back from the grim reaper? Or was he too far in to be saved? Charmaine prayed it was the former but in situations like this, anything could happen. James' fate would be left to the higher powers, for she had to finish the job he started in the first place. When they drove up the winding roads of the Riviera, Charmaine remembered her first encounter with James.

His white Lamborghini shooting past her car, its exhaust waking her up from her peaceful slumber; the coolness in his face when he turned around and spoke to Richard; his sincerity in guiding Richard to Ricardo Crockett High; his smooth deep voice with a special blend of Italy and France… Oh, if only James hadn't been stupid enough to leave his body armor at home when he visited her father. "Madame." One of the Mafioso interrupted her thoughts. "We've have arrived in Menton. Richard's place isn't far from where we are."

"Lock and load then." She said coldly. "There will be no talking done." They made no glances at the beach, nor did they remark about the local architecture. In fact, there was not a single exchange during their short time in downtown Menton and it was only when they reached the road leading to Richard's residence that Charmaine spoke. And when she did, it wasn't about how beautiful her father's place was. She was going through the plans with the Mafioso one last time.

They would go in, blast the living heck out of him and leave, preferably with the shocked wife glaring at them in fear. One of the Mafioso gives Charmaine a coat and a Lupara. Today was a rather chilly day and the coat was perfect for concealing a sawn off shotgun under. Charmaine puts the one point sling through her right arm, allowing the Lupara to hang freely underneath. She then puts on the coat and gave the order for the Mafioso to drive through the main gates.

Compared to James' residence on the Cap d'Ail, security here at Richard's was light. He never made any real enemies until this point and felt no need to increase the amount of armed guards. Instead of a roving group of fifteen, there were just two men on site. One stood at the gate while the other was free to roam the compound. Charmaine and the Mafioso were quickly allowed in as the gate guard recognized his client's daughter.

In the same time it took to flick a finger, the three Mafioso leapt out of the car and subdued the gate guard. By coincidence, the roving guard happened to be nearby and he too was taken care of. They rendezvous with Charmaine near the front door and burst in. Stealth was not really needed in this instance as Richard and Cynthia were the only ones at home apart from the now subdued guards.

"Hello, dad." Charmaine approaches her father with one of the Mafioso while the other two kept Cynthia at bay. "Been awhile hasn't it?"

"Y-Yes." Richard answers, feeling a slight pint of fear. "What's with the armed men?"

"You ruined my life, just like Charles did with his son."

"But how? I gave you all you wanted, I-"

 _BANG_

 _BANG_

"That's for shooting James, you lousy prick."

There were two large blood splatters on the couch and some even sprayed onto the wall behind it. Cynthia was horrified, so much so that she did not scream and only watched as her daughter left with the Mafioso. Only after a minute did she rush to her husband's side but by then he was long gone. His chest had been completely obliterated by the close ranged blasts of buckshot. On her knees and in tears, Cynthia buried her face into her husband's bloody legs and cried.

How did her daughter, so kind and loving well into her teenage years, suddenly become a cold hearted killer?

* * *

His surgery over, James was moved to a private ward per the instructions of Dean Barzini. Armed men stood guard both inside and outside the ward and there was even a quick response team on standby for emergencies. Few were allowed inside and Charmaine was one of those lucky few. She regularly came by to check on her boyfriend, staying from dawn till dusk and sometimes even staying overnight after falling asleep on the visitor's lounge chair.

Nurses would've come in to wake her up but Dean only allowed his own team of nurses and doctors to operate on his boss and enter his ward, and those who entered the ward were ordered not to disturb Charmaine even if she fell asleep and remained past visiting hours. While she never knew it, James could sense that she was near him. He might seem unconscious on the outside but the truth is, he drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness on a regular basis and there were times when she visited that he was partially conscious.

Of course, James had no idea if it was real or just a dream as he was still in a very very blurry state. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, still James refused to wake. Maybe he needed more time to heal because of the amount of blood lost, Charmaine thought as she sat down in the visitor's lounge to watch the news. She gasped in horror when she saw there was an active terror attack going on. All channels were showing the same thing.

 _Ricardo Crockett Under Siege, 7 Killed More Taken Hostage_

Newscasters gave live updates on the situation and the latest piece of information came from The Palais which confirmed earlier reports that the Kingdom of North Cretaceous had claimed responsibility for the attack. In an anonymous message sent to the President, the king of North Cretaceous reminded his counterpart that while they may be an advanced civilization, they were not invulnerable to attacks by North Cretaceous forces. Also included in the letter was a clear message saying that attacks would continue until Elysium lowered its flag and flew the North Cretaceous flag.

"Charmaine?" A weak but familiar voice said.

"James?" She rose from her seat and rushed over to his side. "Oh, thank god."

"Pssh, it's gonna take a lot more than one round to kill me."

"Even if you're on a hospital bed you still know how to crack a smartass remark." Charmaine kisses her boyfriend on the cheek. "Next time, don't forget the armor."

"Yeah, it was kinda stupid of me to leave the vest at home, knowing your father had a Webley in his drawer."

A nurse part of Dean Barzini's medical team soon enters the room, carrying a tray of what could only be described as a mouthwatering plate of steak. While the other patients were stuck with hospital food, Dean had made sure his boss would be served only the finest from the family chef. And James being James, all the energy he had before being shot suddenly came back into his body and he was up and sitting within a matter of seconds, staring at the food like a hungry prisoner.

"Tell Dean I thank him." He said to the nurse before turning his attention back towards Charmaine. "So, what happened while I was the sleeping handsome?"

"My dad's dead." She replies rather casually. "But your mercenaries played no part."

"Who gave the order then?"

"I did."

"WHAT? YOU-"

"Yeah, I had to do it. He was a monster."

"No, it's not about that. I'm just surprised you would kill your own father, especially since he loved you so dearly, unlike mine." James cuts a small piece of steak and places it in his mouth. "Anything else?"

"We found out those guys shooting at your mercs were your father's people. Buuuut, he was duped into doing so by my father."

"Still doesn't make him a good man."

"True."

 _Reports are coming in that the President might declare war on North Cretaceous; we will be monitoring the situation to give you a live update…_

"Is that Wolf News?" James asks.

"Yeah, and I bet you heard what the reporter said." She answers

"They are definitely reactivating the good old draft." Then, he realizes something. "Littlefoot's getting drafted."

"Dinosaurs have been excluded in the past."

"That was way back when segregation and discrimination was still strong. Now it's died down enough that the army will not care who you are. Though I'm sure dinosaurs will be organized into separate units."

Just then, the double doors swung open and in came Ali and a rather surprising guest; Littlefoot. He heard from Detective Sgt. Julius about how his former enemy had volunteered in place of Charmaine to have a friendly chat with his mother's employer and was shot during the second meeting by Richard himself. All these years he saw James as an enemy and even when they met at Ricardo Crockett High, he never gave a thought that James might've really been forced to become a witness.

"Never thought I'd see you." James takes another bite of steak. "Not like this anyways."

"Just thought I'd stop by to say "hi" to my former enemy." He smiles. "I was wrong about you."

"I don't blame you. If I were you I would've probably had reservations for myself too."

"So, what else is cooking?" Charmaine asked.

"Didn't you hear? There's a hostage crisis at our high school." She answers. "Thank god we had this issue to take leave and avoid all that."

"I could've shot them y'know?" James remarks casually. "Any idea who the casualties are so far?"

"Sad to say but Miss Jensen was one of them." Ali replied

"Poor lady, she was my favorite out of the lot of teachers."

"Why? Because she's young and attractive." His girlfriend sneers. "And only three years older

"No, not that." He rolls his eyes and sighed in annoyance. "Her teaching style."

"Riiight."

"Don't be a smartass now, Charmaine. Because this here steak has given me enough energy to-" James felt a sharp pain in his abdomen when he tries to "lunge" forward, causing him to groan. "Screw that."

Everyone except James laughed. This could potentially be the last time they were in the same room together, for it seems war loomed large.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 _Good evening._

 _Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a deliberate and deadly terrorist act. The victims were innocent students and teachers there to give them the power of knowledge; ordinary working men and women, students from all walks of life. Dozens of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror…_

All eyes were on the television and on computer screens broadcasting the live address by President Jean Beauregard. It had been a terrible day, especially for those who lost loved ones in the Ricardo Crockett High School attack. Charles was horrified that the security team he placed at the school was overrun within a matter of seconds. Maybe he should've listened to the late Richard who suggested that he have a quick response team on standby.

Following the address, the Palais officially declared that a state of war has existed between the Kingdom of North Cretaceous and the Federation of Elysium. Though drafting was reintroduced, young men and women signed up voluntarily by the hundreds of thousands, all fueled by the raging thirst for revenge. How could they possibly sit aside and watch while despicable beings terrorize their innocent loved ones? Oddly, the dinosaurs too were very passionate about signing up. They might not have equal educational opportunities, but they knew there were a few schools set up specifically for dinosaurs in the Federation and there was a good possibility that these schools would be attacked in the future.

Of course, many were drafted before they could even sign up, saving them the need to go to a recruiter. Among those drafted for service was Littlefoot. He was thrown into the first of many so called "Dinosaur Battalions". These would be the spearhead of President Beauregard's massive East Coast invasion along with the Devildogs. Why the East Coast? Because that's where the enemy least expected them to appear. In order to maintain the element of surprise, a fleet of Typhoon Submarines would be sent to the West Coast and wreak havoc on enemy ships and fire a few missiles into the capital. The main invasion force would head south and completely avoid the Panama Canal which North Cretaceous had built, and instead take the longer route around the tip of South Cretaceous.

The fleet would also appear to be on its way to Vietnam, which would hopefully fool the Kingdom into believing that while Elysium was indeed planning an invasion, they were massing their forces in Vietnam first before moving towards the East Coast, and this would in turn make them believe that there would be a long time before the attack finally came.

Everyone joined in the war effort. Nightingale Shipping, now run by Charmaine, expanded its business to helping the military built its new warships while James used a small portion of his fortune to purchase Delta Arms Corporation and its many factories which he used to produce small arms for the military. The R&D teams were ordered to come up with new weapons to replace aging platforms like the M16A1 employed by the Air Cavalry units and Stoner 63 Light Machine Guns of the LRRP.

Ali on the other hand, signed up for the military so she could serve as a medic and be with Littlefoot till the day he would hop off the landing crafts alongside Elysian Marines. There was a long road ahead and in the end, there would be bloodshed. On the day before deployment day, the four friends met up at their favorite café to chat about the coming months. It would certainly be a hell of an adrenaline rush and a new experience for all.

"I wonder how it's like to be shot." Littlefoot jokes.

"Oh trust me, you wouldn't believe it." James chuckles. "And yes, I am wearing that armor, Charmaine. Don't worry."

"Good."

Charmaine and James shared yet another kiss, this time right in front of their dinosaur friends. Sure they would not be thrown into the battlefields but it's always good to remind each other how lucky they were to be together. At this very moment, a warm and fuzzy feeling overcame Ali and she turned to look at Littlefoot. Strangely, he too had the same feeling. They smiled at one another and nuzzled, much to the surprise of the humans who have finished kissing. Today might've been the day before two of them left on a huge ship bound for the Californian Coast, it still was the happiest day of their lives.

Who would live, who would die, that wasn't their choice to make. Their lives were now in fate's hands and what they had to do now was to do everything in their power to do their country proud and avenge the poor souls who lost their lives to the act of savagery orchestrated by terrorist forces allied to the Kingdom of North Cretaceous.


End file.
